A Path Forward: Restoring Balance Through Breath and Airway Health

By Lina Avendano PT, MHS, DPT, FAAOMPT, OCS, TPS

Fast or slow. Shallow or deep. Through the nose or through the mouth.
Every breath has a pattern. Most of the time, it goes unnoticed, steady in the background, keeping the body alive without effort.

The way breathing happens matters. It shapes alertness and fatigue. It influences sleep quality. It even affects how much tension builds in the jaw.

Under the surface, patterns form quietly. The nose and mouth play very different roles, and the chemistry of each breath links directly to sleep, jaw health, and resilience.

When Breathing Feels Too Shallow

Shallow or rapid breathing isn’t only about using the mouth instead of the nose, it’s also about the volume of air taken in. Over-breathing, even when it happens through the nose with frequent deep breaths, lowers carbon dioxide. This leaves cells under-oxygenated and keeps the nervous system on edge, often creating the sensation of needing even more air. Slowing the rhythm through the nose may feel unusual at first, but with time the body adapts, balance is restored, and breathing becomes easier.

The Chemistry in Every Breath

Each breath shifts the body’s chemistry. When the balance tips, cells receive less oxygen, leaving energy low and focus clouded. The nervous system drifts toward “fight or flight,” and muscles, especially in the jaw and face, are primed for clenching.

Why the Nose Matters

The nose is designed for everyday breathing. It slows airflow, filters and humidifies, and produces nitric oxide to improve oxygen use. The mouth is a backup for emergencies or high demand, not for routine breathing.

When breathing shifts to the mouth, airflow becomes dry and fast, tongue and jaw position are altered, and over time this can contribute to poor tongue posture, restless sleep, congestion, and dental issues. Mouth breathing is also linked to ripple effects such as snoring and obstructive sleep apnea. Nasal breathing, in contrast, supports efficiency, restorative sleep, and a calmer nervous system.

Nasal Breathing and Development

Nasal breathing does more than move air, it helps guide normal growth of the face, jaws, and oral cavity. When the nose is used, the tongue rests high in the palate, supporting wide dental arches and forward growth. Mouth breathing, by contrast, is linked with narrower arches, longer facial patterns, and changes in jaw position that can contribute to tension and malocclusion over time.

Posture Shapes the Breath

Posture changes more than appearance, it changes breathing.

A slouched or twisted position shifts effort into one side of the ribcage and limits how the diaphragm moves. When posture is open and aligned, the ribcage expands in all directions, and breathing becomes fuller, easier, and more efficient.

More Than Belly Breathing

Shallow patterns lift the chest and shoulders, while deeper patterns spread through the diaphragm and ribcage. “Belly breathing” alone is incomplete—the lungs fill the entire ribcage. A better image is an umbrella: ribs opening in all directions on inhale and folding back down on exhale.

What Can Be Done at Home

Breathing patterns improve with simple daily habits. Keep the lips sealed and let the nose do the work. Use light, quiet breathing instead of large, frequent breaths. Clear the environment of dust or triggers, rinse the nose when needed, and use gentle tools like strips or dilators to support nasal airflow. Small, steady changes create lasting progress.

How Physical Therapy Helps

Manual and airway-focused physical therapy takes breathing work beyond home strategies. Hands-on techniques release tension in the chest, ribcage, and airway muscles, giving the body room to breathe more freely. Careful evaluation uncovers patterns behind breathing disorders, tongue and throat function, and postural influence.

For those dealing with jaw clenching, TMJ pain, stress, or restless sleep, this approach can be especially powerful. Therapy addresses the root mechanics, restoring balance to overworked muscles, retraining airway support, and guiding nasal breathing strategies. The result is often less tension, calmer sleep, and energy that carries into daily life.

A Path Forward

Breathing is ordinary, but never simple. It shapes sleep, posture, stress levels, and jaw tension.

Manual and airway-focused physical therapy helps make lasting change by releasing tension, improving ribcage and airway mobility, and retraining the mechanics that support efficient breathing. The encouraging part: these changes can be learned. Step by step, breath by breath, the body adapts. Small, consistent choices ripple outward into sleep, focus, and health.

Not perfection. Just practice. Every breath is a chance to reset.

References

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